Frustrations of Being a Magistrate: Episode 8: Three Hours' Journey for Three Minutes' Work

Happy New Year to you all.

I hope Christmas and New Year lived up to your expectations and wish everyone the very best of good health, happiness and success in 2024.

Over the Christmas break I've been helping out at a neighbouring Local Justice Area (I think those still exist, but plans are afoot to abolish them) to my own. For whatever reason this other area has really struggled to get boots on the ground, particularly over the Christmas and New Year period.

I received a phone call from the Rota Unit saying they urgently needed a PJ for an afternoon remand court in that area. I do not usually do half days, but given the special request I was more than happy to oblige.

I think I have previously mentioned that my "local" court is a 30 minute journey for me, but I often travel further afield for the greater variety of work. The court I was visiting on this occasion was a one-and-a-half hour journey for me. I like to be at court at least an hour early, which means by around 1 pm for an afternoon sitting.

Traffic was unexpectedly heavy, so I didn't actually arrive at court until around 1.30 pm. I touched base with the wingers, grabbed a quick coffee and fired up the laptop to see what work was listed for the afternoon. There was nothing. Not a jot. But this being the remand court, we needed to wait around for an hour or so just in case anyone was produced in custody.

The Legal Advisor arrived shortly before our scheduled 2 pm start time. He confirmed that there was nothing outstanding and it was a case of "hurry up and wait" until at least 3 pm. If we were lucky, he said, we might be able to deal with one of the pre-sentence report cases - e.g. a sentencing exercise - from the other court, but the defendant hadn't actually arrived yet. Cue further cups of coffee and retiring room Christmassy chatter.

By 2.30 pm it was pretty apparent that the defendant hadn't appeared for sentencing, despite being bailed to do so. We entered the courtroom and heard brief representations from his solicitor and the prosecutor. The defendant's solicitor said he'd had no contact with his client and couldn't offer an explanation for his absence. The prosecutor rose and asked for a warrant for the defendant's arrest and Bail Act offences to be laid. We duly obliged.

Cue further sitting around and chatter, until 3 pm when we decided to call it a day. I then had the one-and-a-half hour journey home in the opposite direction.

Three hours of travelling for three minutes of work.

That's why I don't tend to do half days!